KALLA ASKS LANGKAT COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT HIM FOR PRESIDENCY

Langkat, March 17 (ANTARA) - Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla has asked public figures, Muslim clerics, and the leader of Babusalam Islamic boarding school in Langkat, North Sumatra, to support his intention to run for president in July.

"I need the prayers and support of all public figures here to participate in this year's legislative and presidential elections. God willing, I will also contest the presidential election in the interest of the state and nation," Kalla said here on Tuesday.
He said the legislative election this year would be participated in by so many political parties and therefore he asked all parties to understand and to be civil in their campaigns.
Kalla also expressed hope that the elections this year would proceed fairly, democratically, peacefully, and successfully.
During the flight from Jakarta to Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday, Kalla said the upcoming general elections, including regional elections, should be fair and honest in order to preserve the people's trust in democracy.
"Fairness and honesty in general elections belong to all people and not to political parties alone. Therefore, the credibility of democracy should be maintained through fair and honest electoral processes," Kalla said.
The vice president made the statement when asked to comment on discovery of a forged Permanent Voters List (DPT) in East Java's gubernatorial election recently.
He said all processes in general elections, including regional elections, should be fair and honest.
Therefore, he said, each time there was an indication of unfairness and dishonesty in any electoral process, it should be dealt with immediately and seriously.
He said the case in East Java's gubernatorial election was not something in which the central government could intervene as it was structural problem.
According to Kalla, democracy was a matter of trust and thus the trust should be fully kept and maintained.